


Day 334

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [334]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27812368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [334]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 334

Aveline watched the chaos at the Alienage gate with a growing sense of concern. What had started as a small scuffle at the gates of the Alienage had turned into a full blown riot. Now the Alienage was completely sealed off from the rest of Kirkwall by a wall of ice that the templars and their ‘temporary recruits’ had been unable to penetrate. A few elves had been caught outside the walls and either taken by the templars for ‘questioning’ or just beaten to death by the mob. That had been the first real clash between Aveline and the templars and she had tried to get the elves to safety. 

Meredith herself had come down to try and break through the ice. She had nearly succeeded, with her strange glowing sword. But when that had failed, a very pale looking Knight Commander had been led away. Declaring that the no elves should be allowed out of the Alienage until such a time as they submitted to the rule of the Chantry. The templars had been becoming more and more bold since the death of the Viscount but Aveline remembered only to the guards who had been killed when the elves took the law into their own hands. She didn’t know what had happened to Brennan and her mend but they were in danger now because the elves picked a fight with the Chantry.

Aveline remembered the fight at Ostagar. She remembered fighting in the thick of things with the King and the Wardens. She remembered seeing the signal go up but no charge to save the day. They had been betrayed by those they served with, by those who were supposed to have their back. She would not abandon her men, she would not let them pay for the crimes of others. Aveline had her people ready to break through the ice wall the moment it cracked and secure Brennan’s barracks to prevent them from getting caught in the crossfire.

“Guard Captain,” came the voice of a guard Aveline knew by face but not name. One of the newer recruits. When Aveline returned his salute he gave his report. 

“The Champion is here,” he said. “He… insisted on speaking to you out of sight of the templars. “Rather forcefully.”

Aveline nodded and went where the guard indicated. She had been wondering where Hawke was in all this. She had suspected the wall of ice had been his work.

Aveline stepped into an alley, out of sight of the templars and immediately felt the prickle on the back of her neck that only came when powerful magics were being thrown around. Her sword was halfway out of his sheath before she saw Hawke, glowing like Anders when he was close to losing control to Justice. She kept her sword halfway drawn for now. Part of being friends with mages was knowing that someday you might have to put them down.

“Hawke,” she said cautiously.

“Why have you not come to bring support against the templars?”

“We can’t fight the templars,” Aveline replied. Hawke still crackled with energy so Aveline remained in the stance she had found to be particularly useful against magical attacks. She didn’t like where this was going.

“Since when?” Hawke demanded. “We have killed dozens of templars over the years.”

“Ones that broke from their duty,” Aveline replied. “And I’m not proud of everything we’ve done. There is only so far I can bend in my own duty before I break.”

“Nothing in Chantry law allows the templars to bully the elves whenever they feel like it.”

“The elves have been hiding apostates,” Aveline countered. “Blood mages even. You know that better than almost anyone. There are magical attacks happening all over the city and people are terrified. It is natural for the templars to want to be more active in their work. The elves have completely overreacted.” She gestured to the wall of ice.

“And what if the templars start hunting for Qunari sympathizers while they’re at it,” Hawke asked. “What if, while the templars have the elves at their mercy they abuse that power like your own guards did?”

“I already said that I would-”

“Investigate reports of blah blah blah,” Hawke’s voice was growing dangerously loud for someone who wanted not to attract too much attention to himself. “The time to investigate was before the elves decided murder was the only way to protect themselves from you. You’ve sat in that office for four fucking years now and what have you really done to make the guards better?”

“I have worked to gain the respect of my men,” Aveline snarled. She sheathed her sword but she was starting to think she might just punch him in the face.

“But not the respect of the elves,” Hawke said.

“They should respect the rule of law.”

“Respect is earned,” Hawke snapped. “You’re not a soldier anymore Aveline; much as you like to pretend otherwise. You’re not fighting a war against an enemy force with the fate of the world on the line. These are just people trying to survive. If you wander the streets expecting enemies around every corner that’s what you will find.”

Aveline was taken back to her encounter with the envy demon. About all the choices she had made that brought her closer to power. All she wanted was to be a good leader. One that looked after her men in a way Jeven or Loghain never had.

Aveline felt a warmth emanating from Hawke and was suddenly back at the battle of Ostagar. The perspective was all wrong. She was on the hill overlooking the battle, where Loghain had been. Instead of Cailen and the Darkspawn she saw the elves and templars clashing together. Somewhere far off a beacon was lit.

Aveline shook the vision from her head. It had felt… not dissimilar from when the desire demon had twisted her mind. This was different though. It was less like something was twisting her thought and more like something was showing her a different frame of the world.

Aveline looked out of the alley at the mass of people, peasants and templars, trying to break through the ice into the Alienage.

“You wonder which side Wesley would be on here don’t you,” Hawke asked.

“I...” Aveline hadn't thought about that part. Wesley had been dutiful, obedient, but he had defied orders when he came and found her during the Blight. He was a protector first and foremost, like Aveline... Like Aveline believed herself to be. She had been focused for so long on keeping those who followed her safe from the outside world but that wasn’t her charge. Her charge was the people of Kirkwall. Wesley would have agreed.

“Guards,” she called out. “Advance. Set up a perimeter around the Alienage .Don’t let anyone through. We hold until the templars back down.”


End file.
